Monday 15 December 2008

15th December 2008

A high tide sea-watch noted 8 Red-throated Divers, a single Great Northern Diver (the same as the recent bird on the marine lake?) but only 4 Great Crested Grebes in contrast to the hundreds counted off the north shore at Meols today.
A Little Egret and a pair of Wigeon were on the shore around the island with 2 Peregrines patrolling the Little Eye area.
Thrushes seemed to be the same as they were these last few weeks (2 Blackbirds and 5 Song Thrushes including the partial albino), also the Snow Bunting is still showing on Little Eye.
The ebb tide provided an opportunity for extensive wader counts around the East Hoyle and the south end of the island chain. Six thousand Oystercatchers were just about the highest estimate this winter so far and 3,000 knot and 2,000 Dunlin were on the East Hoyle while 500 Curlew was the large gathering in the Tanskey rocks area, but 350 Grey Plover south west of Little Eye were probably the highlight of the afternoon.
(DB,CF)

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